In Alexander's mind, a faint childhood memory had always lingered. Back then, Lena used to carry him on her back
during the day and sing him to sleep at night. Lena was the only beacon of light in his life, where warmth was
scarce.
Who said that three- or four-year-old kids couldn't remember? That memory stayed with him as he grew up,
guiding him to reunite with his sister.
"Sis, please don't cry, okay? Ms. Lena!"
Lena paused for a moment with tears in her eyes before smiling at him.
The two of them found a cozy little eatery to sit down, which happened to be the same place where Chris took her
for pizza.
Julius warmly greeted them. "Oh, what a rare visit! This is..."
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt"I'm her younger brother!" Alexander replied swiftly.
Lena smiled at him and ordered two pizzas.
Julius initially looked a bit skeptical, but then he disappeared into the kitchen. When he returned, he brought two
generous servings of pizzas.
"Dig in!" Lena handed Alexander a plate. "This place is great—reasonable prices and delicious food. Chris brought
me here..."
As soon as Chris' name came up, her cheeks turned a shade redder.
Alexander grinned mischievously and asked, "Sis, is that guy treating you well?"
Lena pretended not to understand. "What guy?"
"The one you mentioned, Chris!" Alexander's grin widened. "Don't hide it. When we were in the mountains, I saw
you two hugging, and he even kissed you!"
"Alexander!" Lena looked at him sternly, but it was too late—their conversation had attracted some attention.
"Enough!" She discreetly kicked him under the table. "Stop talking nonsense. You're just a kid!"
"I'm not a kid," Alexander protested. "I'm already 12! I'm growing up."
"12 is still a kid!"
Alexander's smile softened. "Sis, why didn't he come with you today?"
"You invited me, right? You only invited me, not him, so of course he didn't come."
"He's pretty self-aware!"
Lena winced. In truth, ever since she had accidentally slapped him that one time, she felt like something had
changed between them. Although Chris remained as kind to her as ever, she couldn't help but sense a shift.
Upon thinking about that, a tight feeling gripped her chest. That person who had cast a shadow over her life
seemed to be in Centrolis, too.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmLena put down her pizza slice and looked at Alexander, hesitating for a moment before asking, "Leo, your father..."
"Right, I was just about to tell you about that!" Alexander's expression turned serious. "My dad is in Centrolis and
has gotten quite close to that woman... The one who came to the mountains with you last time!"
"Bianca?"
"Yes!" Alexander didn't hold back. "I saw them talking in the hotel's backyard with my own eyes, and that woman
even gave him money! When we were in the mountains, I already had a feeling she was up to no good. She kept
asking me about you, but I didn't say anything."
Lena frowned. Bianca probably saw her as a rival and wanted to eliminate her. But what could she and Drake
possibly be up to?
"Don't worry," Alexander reassured her between bites of pizza. "Let's pretend you've never seen me, and I've never
seen you. Or... let's act like we've met but didn't recognize each other. I'll go back to my dad and try to gather more
information. We can stay in touch if anything important comes up!"